Buckle.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

S. M. HOLT.

BUCKLE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE26,1905,

wi/tmaooco SETH MILTON HOLT, 0F GRAYS, KENTUCKY. .euomnz.

To all/ 211720711, it 11mg; concern.- 1

Be it known that I, SETH MILTON HOLT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grays, in the county of Knox and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is an improved buckle especially adapted for use on girths for saddles, but also adapted for use in other connections and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices herein described and claimed.-

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a buckle embodying my invention, partly in section, to disclose one of ball-bearings. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line a a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, tzpkren on the plane indicated by the line B B o" i .1.

Thi frame of my improved buckle is substantially U-shaped and comprises the heel or base portion 1 and the side arms 2. The latter have screw-threaded openings at their outer ends engaged by a cross-bar 3, which has screw-threaded portions fitted in said openings and is provided at its ends with nuts 4, which bear against the outer sides of the ends of the said bars 2. The said cross-bar is provided at suitable distances from its ends with shoulder portions 3, forming bearing-cones, and which have angular outer portions 6, on which are fitted washers 7. An antifriction-sleeve 8 revolves on the said cross-bar 3 and is formed at its ends with cliametrically-enlarged portions 9, the interior diameter of which is greater than that of the bearing-cones. Collars 19 are secured in the ends of the sleeve. The cross-bar passes through central openings in the collars, and the latter are countersunk in their outer sides to form races around the bearing cones. BallslO are placed in the said races. Hence Specification bf Letters Patent.

Application filed June 26, 1905. Serial No. 267,089.

Patented April 3, 1906.

the said sleeve is mounted for rotation on the cross-bar with but very little friction, hence affords easy passage for the strap in connection with which the buckle is used, thereby enabling the said strap to be readily taken up and let out.

My improved buckle is provided with a tongue 11 of the usual form, which is pivoted on the heel or connecting portion 1 of the frame and is adapted to bear against the antifriction-sleeve. I provide a spring 12 to keep the tongue 11 in normal engagement with the antih'ictio11sleeve. The said spring is here shown as made of spring-wire, coiled at its center to form an eye 13, through which the tongue 1 1 extends, and to form oppositely-extending spring-arms 14, which bear against the under sldes of the buckleframe. It will be understood that this spring is entirely out of the way of the strap and at the same time serves to prevent casual disengagement of the strap by the tongue.

N otehes 15 are formed in the under side of the side arms 2 of the buckle-frame to receive the end portions of the spring-arms 14 to keep the springs from slipping and from becomin disengaged from the frame when the buck e is in use.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, .is

1. A buckle having a cross-bar extending through and connecting the sides of its frame and provided with bearing cones to bear against the inner surfaces of the sides of the frame, said cross-bar haviln screw-threaded ends, and nuts on said threaded ends, a sleeve revoluble on the cross-bar and having enlarged ends, collars in said enlarged ends the sides of the frame, substantially as de- 1c and countersunk in their outer sides to form scribed. recesses at the ends of the sleeve, to form In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ball races around the bearing cones, and my hand in presence of two subscribing Witbearing-balls in the said ball-races. nesses.

2. A buckle having notches in its sides, a SETH MILTON HOLT. pivoted tongue, and a spring comprising a Witnesses: Wire coiled at its center around the tongue 0. B. WHITESELL,

and having its ends engaging the notches in W. A. O. LEAMS. 

